


caught up in your heartstrings

by natashass



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/F, Kid!Howard, Kid!Peggy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 11:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4099873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashass/pseuds/natashass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eight-year-old Peggy Carter and ten-year-old Howard Stark were a handful. Dare not ask Angie Martinelli why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	caught up in your heartstrings

**Author's Note:**

> There has been too much angst in the Cartinelli tag, both on tumblr and here. No problem with that, write all the angst you want but my poor heart could only handle so much :((( I come bearing fluff! Conceived with Sophie and Abby. Title is from Passion Pit’s song called Where the Sky Hangs. Enjoy!

" _Praise God,_ " Angie exhales when they both step into their home, where she toes off her heels by the doorway. "Sorry had to drag you into that, Peg. You know my Ma wants us at Sunday breakfast every week."

"It's alright with me, Angie, you know how much I adore your family." The run on her stockings made itself known when Peggy sat down the plush leather couch to kick her feet up the table. The twins have taken to try and get Peggy in a headlock only to fail each time. "No matter how many times they grill me on how you're faring here in our home. It’s been three years since we began living here."

When Peggy feels a presence above her, she leans her head back against the sofa and sees Angie looking down at her, hands on the sides of Peggy's head.

Angie looks like an angel, with the light from the chandelier creating a halo that made her sandy-blonde hair glow. She's biting her lip and--good God, how Peggy doted on her.

"Sorry about that."

That lip bite again. Peggy rolls her eyes because she knows exactly what her girlfriend is doing.

"Come here, you," she says, tugging at the front of Angie's blouse to pull her closer and she smiles in their sweet, upside down kiss.

They spend a few minutes liplocking before Peggy's neck decides it's a splendid time to hurt and Angie's back protesting at the strain of leaning down too long, but through that they stay in that position for a while, staring at one another like lovesick fools.

"Ma cornered me in the kitchen while you were rough housin' the kids," murmurs Angie, her eyes suddenly everywhere except Peggy as she fiddles with the material of the couch.

Peggy remembers quite well. Mrs. Martinelli following Angie into the kitchen then after a few minutes, Angie emerging from the room pale as sheet.

"What did she say?" Peggy asks with worry. Mrs. Martinelli has been treating her kindly, though it does nothing to calm her from the way Angie blanched back at the Martinelli household.

For a few moments, Angie refuses to respond until she does, Peggy prompting her to do so.

"She asked when we ever planned to get kids. _'Il tempo passa anche per me!'_ " Angie had perfected impersonating her own mother long ago. "Told her I can't--uh, you okay, Pegs? You're white as a ghost."

She must have turned the same shade as her girlfriend had after speaking with her mother.

It's not that Peggy didn't want kids, it's just that her work at SHIELD will not make it easy and safe. Letting Angie take care of the child alone, alongside her busy schedules and filming here and there would be heartless.

"What did you say, sweetheart?" she responds after a few moments, knowing Angie was fretting about what's on Peggy's mind, most especially now that she paled at the mention of children.

"Told her I wouldn't be a good mother. And that you're still a busy woman with a career you can't leave." Angie pulls away, straightens her back.

Peggy sits upright and twists her body to keep her eyes on Angie. "The first one--that's not true. Darling, you're wonderful with children. They adore you and you adore them."

Angie shrugs. The leather sinks and squeaks when Angie takes a seat. "Doesn't mean I'd be a good mother."

Her heart breaks slightly at Angie’s aversion to having children of their own. “So you don’t want to…?”

“No,” Angie sighs. She takes Peggy’s hand in hers. “I want to, okay, English? Just… not now. Maybe someday. We’ll figure it out sooner or later. That okay with you?”

Peggy smiles and she brings up Angie’s hand to her lips. She nods. “Someday. I'd like that.”

Someday, when Peggy has figured out how to balance both the job and her life and Angie. Someday, when Angie is ready to be a mother. Someday, when she's ready to raise a child.

Angie tucks her body into Peggy's, filling in every crease perfectly.

Peggy likes this. Peggy likes how easy it is with Angie. Peggy likes the way the other woman fit in her arms like a puzzle piece. This is where she is supposed to be. Right as rain. Sure as the sun.

Of course, the telephone rings and ruins whatever tranquility that she finds when Angie is in her arms.

She groans.

When Angie pulls away, she groans even louder.

“It might be work stuff,” Angie chides her without breath, still in Peggy’s grasp. “Your work or mine. Let me get it real quick, English. The phone is right--ow--there.”

With reluctance, Peggy releases her hold on Angie. “Atta girl,” Angie murmurs, amusement playing on her lips which she uses to kiss Peggy’s forehead affectionately. Slightly jostling the woman underneath her, she reaches out to the low table that had the damned telephone. “Carter residence. Oh. Hello, Howard.”

Peggy lets the back of her head fall on the armrest of the couch with a third groan, longer and louder.

Angie raises an eyebrow at Peggy. _Wanna talk to him?_

Really, one Howard Stark kept their hands full. Another child would be chaotic.

Peggy all but hisses into the speaker, "Is this of great importance, Howard?"

_"Just wanted to check on my favorite gals."_

"It's Sunday, Howard."

_"I found this thing--"_

"It's Sunday _morning_ , Howard."

" _But I don't know what it--"_

She releases an exasperated sigh. Letting Howard tinker with something without supervision was never a good idea, no matter how tempting it is to spend the rest of the day in Angie's embrace. "Where are you?"

The man on the other side of the phone had the audacity to mumble an excited 'yes!' under his breath. _"At my place's basement. See ya!"_

She is about to rebuke him for tinkering with items in the safety of his own home, but she's not one to speak when work quite literally follows her home. Peggy ends the call before saying things she will regret.

“Bloody wanker,” Peggy grumbles, stretching her arm to click the phone back to its place.

“I take that Howard wants you somewhere and that you’ve to attend to said sad excuse for a grown man?”

When Peggy begins to apologize, Angie stops her with a finger to her lips. “Shush. Go do one of the things you do best.”

“And what is that?”

“Making sure Howard Stark doesn't get himself killed.”

-

Angie is halfway through her script, she notices and thinks that if Peggy were here, she would've never even finished reading a third since Peggy makes it a habit to distract her whenever she had a script, when the phone in the living room rings a few hours after Peggy left.  
  
"Carter-Martinelli residence," Angie says, eyes trained on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.  
  
 _"Angela? Hello,"_ It's Anna Jarvis. And she sounds slightly panicked. Which is not good in any way.  
  
"Anna, hey! How can I help you?"  
  
 _"Am I keeping you from something, dear?"_  
  
Angie folds her script and places it on the table. "No, not at all. What's up?"  
  
 _"Would it be an inconvenient time for you to head to Mr. Stark's manor? There has been an... incident."_  
  
Her stomach drops. Peggy. Peggy was with Howard. One of these days she will strangle that man! "Oh Christ, are they--"  
  
 _"Nothing serious, I assure you,_ " Anna assured her. _"Though I wouldn't assume you'd be pleased with this, knowing Mr. Stark and his antics_."  
  
"What is it?" Angie asks, then follows it up quickly with, "y'know what, I'll find out myself. Be there in a few minutes."  
  
 _"Alright, dearie. I apologize for bothering you, but it's an emergency and it involves Margaret, too."_ Anna sighs. _"I will keep an eye on Howard, Edwin and Margaret here. Good bye."_  
  
Angie ends the call, fingers finding the bridge of her nose to massage the oncoming headache induced by Howard Stark and the welfare of her Peggy.   
  
The doorbell of Howard's manor echoes from behind the large wooden door before Anna Jarvis opens it.  
  
"Angie," relief dawns upon her and Anna smiles, "I'm glad you could come."  
  
Angie nods. "It's no problem." There is a thin boy with dark hair dressed in slacks and a white dress shirt shyly hiding his face behind Anna. "Hey, little fella. What's your name?"  
  
A pained expression crosses Anna's when Angie lifts her head up to her when the boy refused to tell her. "This, Angie, is Edwin Jarvis, thirteen years of age."  
  
Oh.

_Jesus tapdancing Christ._

-

Nothing could ever prepare Angie for the sight that is a young Peggy Carter on the floor with a young Howard Stark in a headlock which appears effortless for a girl who is smaller than the one whose head is trapped between her arms.

Peggy is wearing an adorable, navy blue dress which had puffy sleeves, her hair curled neatly like how twenty-eight-year-old Peggy did it. Her cheeks pink from the effort and her face round, without the pronounced jaw and cheekbones that could cut. In other words, adorable.

Howard dressed similarly to Jarvis, a white dress shirt and dark brown pants, only with bright red chucks for his shoes. Adorable, more so without him being a ridiculously childish grown man with a mustache.

"Children, what have I said about rough games like those?" Anna chastises the two children who cease at once.

"Sorry, Anna," the two apologize with hands behind their back and their heads turned to the ground.

"It's quite alright, children, just not too rough. I've someone I'd like you to meet," Anna smiles and steps to the side to reveal Angie. "This is Angela Martinelli. Do you remember her?"

Peggy makes a face, with her brows furrowed and her mouth turned down in a tiny frown. "I don't. I'm sorry, Miss Angela."

Angie's heart breaks a little, though she doesn't say anything about the small pain in her chest at Peggy not recognizing her. "It's Angie, sweetheart. Only my Ma and Anna over here call me that. And my best gal too, when she's cross with me. Nice to meet ya, Peg." She extends her hand to Peggy, who shakes it shyly, blushing at Angie calling her sweetheart.

Eight years old and still blushes a shade of pink when Angie calls her that. It offers Angie a bit of comfort.

Howard speaks next to them. "Yeah, me either. I would've remembered a pretty face like that. Howard Stark, a pleasure to meet you, Angie." He takes her hand and kisses it like a gentleman.

She raises an eyebrow at him, and shakes his hand like he did with Peggy. "I'd say the same to you, flyboy."

After Angie stands to speak to Anna possibly to have a panic attack and worry and fret that Howard and Peggy and Edwin will never be back to normal, Peggy elbows Howard in the ribs, hard, earning her the stink eye from Anna.

Though when Angie sees Peggy, she's got the most innocent look on her face, not unlike her older self.

She opens her mouth to ask for an explanation, though, like always, Howard Stark's butler beats her to it even at eleven years old.

"I can explain, Miss Martinelli," Edwin amends.

"Look, Angie, Anna--I'm stronger than Howard!" A tiny Peggy exclaims from the floor where she had a tiny Howard in another tight headlock which Anna only shakes her head in dismay to.

"That's wonderful, sweetie," Angie tells Peggy, then looks down at a young Edwin Jarvis. "Please do."

 _Dios mio_. This was going to be a long day.

-

"So you're saying that apparently, the object Howard 'borrowed' from SHIELD makes you a certain age for twenty four hours?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Martinelli."  
  
"It made all of you twenty years younger?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Martinelli."  
  
"And you're the only one who can remember me and Anna, unlike Pegs and Howard?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Martinelli."  
  
Angie nods solemnly. "Interesting."  
  
"Oh and one more thing," adds Edwin, "a few things about their older selves remain: like Miss Carter's skills in martial arts, though less finesse and Mr. Stark's... affinity towards women. They are incapable of directly recalling memories in this state, though a select few memories may ghosts through them at unexpected times."  
  
That's odd. "What do Peggy and Howard recall?"  
  
"Miss Carter can remember your kitchen and your recipe for risotto and lasagne though as you saw earlier, she did not recognize you though she is familiar with memories of you. Mr. Stark's, however, are only memories of his father and cars."  
  
She's quiet for a while, deep in her thoughts, before Anna speaks and lays a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to keep an eye on them. I can manage on my own with Edwin here."  
  
"I can't let you do this alone, Anna. These are Pegs and Howard we're talking about here," she stands from the wooden chair in the dining room. "I'll take them, even Mr. Fancy here, if you'll let me."  
  
Anna smiles at her with motherly kindness. "I trust you with these three, Angela. Twenty-eight or eight, they're in good hands when they're with you."

-

Howard and Peggy are currently engaged in an intense round of arm wrestling where Howard is losing so very miserably when Angie, Anna and Edwin find them.

“Children,” The older woman says, receiving the attention of both kids. “I’ll be off to run errands with Edwin here, therefore Angie will keep an eye on you two.” She bends to press kisses to Peggy and Howard’s heads. “Behave; do not give her a difficult time.”

“Yes, Anna,” the duo say simultaneously.

With a smile and a reassuring hand on Angie’s arm, Anna and Jarvis leave the Stark manor.

Howard and Peggy watch Angie expectantly. Panic tries to take over her mind, though she doesn’t permit it.

Darling, you’re wonderful with children, Peggy’s words to her earlier today drifts in her thoughts. Angie lets out a shaky breath, squares her shoulders and places her hands on each child’s shoulder to lead them out of the house. “So, do you kids like spaghetti?”

-

It happens that Peggy and Howard retained their twenty-something appetites, Angie notices as she watched the two gobble down the spaghetti Angie whipped up in her and Peggy’s kitchen with amusement. Their feet dangle a foot above the floor from where they’re seated.

(“Have I been here before?” Peggy asks, her small hand in Angie’s.

“Yes, you have. You don’t remember, though. You were still… very young.”

“Oh.”)

“This is really good,” Howard compliments her around a mouthful of half-masticated food. Peggy nods in agreement, her cheeks round and the area around her mouth red-orange with sauce.

Angie laughs, placing bottles of soda on the table for each of them to drink. “I’m glad you munchkins like it, though I do think you should slow down. The food’s not going anywhere, y’know.”

Peggy swallows and takes a long gulp of soda. “Nonsense, the food should be going somewhere and that’s in my tummy. Thank you,” she mumbles with slight embarrassment when Angie hands her a napkin to wipe her face.

“Whatever you say, sweetheart,” she replies, shaking her head. eight years old and still a smart-ass. Huh.

Her girlfriend-turned-eight-years-old blushes at the endearment. Again.

Before Angie can laugh at how adorable that is, Howard pipes up, “Why don’t you call me ‘ _sweetheart_ ’ too? I can be a sweetheart like this little lady right here!”

If that came from a thirty-year-old Howard, she would have slapped him. Though it came from a ten-year-old Howard… it is kinda adorable, not that she would ever say that out loud. Angie lets this slide.

“What would you want me to call you, then?”

The boy shrugs. “Anything you want.”

Angie taps a finger on her chin in thought. “I’ll call you… ‘cutie’?”

Peggy shoots the boy beside her a menacing glare that grown-Peggy might have done. “‘Howard’ is just fine. She likes calling me ‘sweetheart’ because I am one. Right, Angie?”

“Are you jee-yeaa-louus?” Howard challenges her with a shit-eating grin with dark vegetable between his teeth that is so very Howard and Peggy fixes him with a dangerous scowl that is so very Peggy.

The little girl turns a deeper shade of red. “Why you--”

“ _Kids_ ,” Angie raises her voice before this ends with Peggy strangling Howard. She might have encouraged it if it were full-grown Peggy and Howard whenever he was being an A-grade asshole, though right now they were eight and ten respectively and a ten-year-old Howard with a black eye would probably prove that she would be, indeed, a horrible mother. “Peggy, he was kidding. Howard, don’t push her.” She figures they know the rest.

Angie knows that look, the subtle downturn of Peggy’s lips and the stubborn furrow of her brows and slight squint which murmured this isn’t over. She knows that look too well, but Angie finds it incredibly endearing.

However, Peggy lets it go and the pair looks down at the table in apology. “Sorry, Angie,” Peggy and Howard murmur, followed by a _‘we’ll behave,_ ’ from Peggy and a ‘ _we promise_ ,’ from Howard.

Her heart swells at the two, and she nods and hooks each of her thumbs under their chins to bring their faces up once more. “Wipe away those long faces, cuties. We’re going to have fun today, yeah?”

They eagerly nod at Angie’s suggestion. It’s adorable: they slide off their seats, feet finding purchase on the carpet. Peggy’s small hands finding hers. It’s the same softness only without marks.

For all that, Angie notices Howard maintains at least five inches between him and her and the  small, yet triumphant smirk Peggy slyly throws the boy’s way.

-

“Are you sure someone’s running SHIELD without these two?”

_“Yes, Miss Martinelli. Agent Sousa is doing perfectly fine back at the agency. He’s been notified of the… incident.”_

“Oh. Alright. Poor Daniel. He’s kept away from his wife enough.”

_“SHIELD is in capable hands just for the day, Miss Martinelli. Better him than Agent Thompson.”_

“You said it, Mr. Fancy.”

-

“So, what do you guys wanna do?”

Peggy tilts her head, brown curls bobbing to the side. “Whatever you want to do, Angie.”

A groan escapes Howard’s throat, dropping his head backwards. “Let’s do something fun. I’m bored outta my mind.”

“You? Bored? In my house?” Angie raises a brow at the young Howard as he juts his lower lip. Angie walks to the record player in the living room. She lifts the turntable’s needle and settles it on the record where it scratches to a start, Teresa Brewer’s Music Music Music fills the room at once.  “How ‘bout we dance your boredom away? Does that sound good to ‘ya?”

Howard grins excitedly, taking Angie’s hand. “May I?”

Peggy’s face remains impassive when Angie spares her a glance, which is a pretty impressive impassive face for a eight-year-old. “Alright,” agrees Angie, “take the lead, Howard.”

Ten-year-old Howard is a pretty decent dance partner, his steps fell on the beat even with the limitation of his short limbs to do a proper swing. A point came where Angie lifted little Howard in her arms to sway him around. By the end of the dance, Angie prides her theatre stamina for being only faintly tired by the efforts of carrying a ten-year-old while dancing.

Peggy, though, just watches with pursed lips and her brows knitted. Like she wanted to dance, but she didn’t know how to. Typical Peggy, Angie thinks with a roll of her eyes.

Angie extends her hand to ask for a dance, in the same way she did years before. “Come on, English. It’ll be fun.”

Little Peggy looks away. “I don’t think I know how to dance.”

 _I’m afraid I don’t know how to move my feet to a rhythm,_ Peggy had told her the first time they’d danced. But Peggy Carter always sold herself short and surprised Angie by being able to dance and carry a tune (though somewhat off-key).

“Silly, you’re a natural. Believe me,” Angie gives Peggy her most charming smile, one which makes the full-grown Peggy weak in the knees. It seems to have the same effect on a eight-year-old Peggy, who considers it for a moment after Angie wiggles her fingers. “Keep your eyes on me.”

Angie had told Peggy the exact same thing in that first dance, her heart squeezing a bit at the way it spurred both eight-year-old Peggy and twenty-eight year old Peggy to take her hand and dance with her. Eight-year-old Peggy and twenty-eight year old Peggy blush the same red when Angie takes both of her hands, bringing her closer to dance. eight-year-old Peggy and twenty-eight year old Peggy both step on her feet for the first few beats. Which gives Angie an idea.

“Take off your shoes,” Angie tells her, and Peggy toes off her sneakers, leaving her in low cut socks. “Okay, now step on my feet.”

“What?” Peggy’s bewildered face is adorable.

“Trust me."

Peggy does so, and it seems like Angie can lift both their legs in a guided dance that Pops and Frankie used to do with her when she was Peggy’s current age. “Eep!” Peggy squeals when Angie dips her backward with a tight grip on Peggy’s hands, the small girl’s weight practically nothing on her toes.

A laugh bubbles up Angie’s throat and she does it again, until they find their rhythm to the music. Angie lifts her and Peggy’s right leg, then left, then right until they’re dancing and feeling the music mixed with giggles and laughs from the three of them.  

She carries Peg, much like she did with Howard though she is two times lighter than him and Angie’s lifting her off the ground and spinning her in her arms.

Little Peggy’s laughter fills her ears, a higher version of her usual husky chuckles but still somehow the same.

The world starts spinning, so she stops and settles Peggy down on the floor.  Following the brief moment of nausea that sweeps over the both of them, Peggy smiles up at Angie and says, “I love dancing with you.”

“I love dancing with you, too, Peg. See? You were a natural.”

Howard asks Peggy into a dance, though not as formally as he did with Angie and she decides to change the record for the kids to dance to.

Angie watches Peg and Howard move goofily to a different yet still upbeat record and thinks, maybe kids of my own ain’t a bad idea.

-

It’s a beautiful, sunny day and it’s what propels them to spend a few minutes under the sun in their backyard, which ends up in a water fight with Angie and little Peggy in matching bathing suits and little Howard in bright blue trunks left by Angie’s nieces and nephews during their last visit.

It’s nice, fun, running around with their feet sinking into the grassy ground with more giggles and the kind of happiness that Angie loves more than a lemonade on a hot summer day.

-

Peggy braids Angie’s still damp sandy blonde hair.

Angie braids Howard’s hair, limp from water, long enough to actually be braided.

Howard scowls, muttering ‘spoiled English brat’ though he’s secretly enjoying the gentleness of Angie’s hands.

_Don’t ask._

-

Howard dumps a box of Monopoly in front of Angie and Peggy, who sat on the floor, half empty coke bottles scattered around and Peggy’s small head on Angie’s arm. “I have a prepos... prepoth… prope…”

“Proposition,” Angie finishes for little Howard.

“ _Propethision_ ,” Howard says with finality. “If I win this game, Angie, can I be your Beau for a day?” He grins, waggling his eyebrows at Peggy rather than Angie.

“What if you lose?” challenges Peggy, who doesn’t move from her comfortable position beside Angie.

“Then _you’ll_ be Angie’s Belle for a day.” Peggy has been my girlfriend of four years, she wants to say, though it might be difficult to explain to the two that Peggy is her girlfriend, a contraption turning them into children so she couldn’t remember.

Little Peggy looks so mortified that Angie has to laugh.

Angie rolls her eyes amusedly. “Don’t I have a say in this?”

“Please don’t say yes,” Peggy practically begs. “Well, don’t say yes if you don’t want to.”

She giggles at Peggy’s chivalry. “It’s fine; it’s only for a day, Pegs. I don’t mind being your or his Belle.” Angie leans in and stage whispers, “though I’m betting on you, English.”

Flushing a deep red, the young girl readies the monopoly board faster than Angie can blink.

An hour into the game, most properties are owned by Peggy and Angie, much to Howard’s chagrin. “Who’s the son of the millionaire here?” He had complained, paying Peggy a million dollars for rent.

Angie obviously has the upper hand, but she lets Peggy win anyway--not unlike the way Peggy lets her win little competitions either of them instigate, i.e. tossing trash into a bin, loser does the dishes.

Monopoly is intense. Especially with Howard and Peggy, no matter the age.

Angie doesn’t miss the way Howard blows into his dice and whispers prayers before he rolls.

Angie doesn’t miss the way Peggy buys a house, murmuring, ‘this one’s for the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.’

It’s adorable. The game goes on for a good hour.

Halfway through the game, however:

“Angie, I want ice cream.” Little Peggy tugs at her hand, eyes imploring and lips in a tiny pout and, oh, how could she ever resist Peggy? “Girlfriends are supposed to buy their girlfriends ice cream, right?”

“Me too,” Howard says, from his position on the floor. “Angie, I want ice cream too.”

It’s 3 pm, Angie’s watch tells her. It’s best she checks on Anna and Mr. Fancy, see if they’re doing alright. “Why don’t we go and pick up Jarvis and head to the zoo then ice cream?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Howard quickly disposes of his small amount of Monopoly money before it hits him (all of them, really) that Peggy won the game that has just ended when they all agreed to--

Howard narrows his eyes at Peggy, who looks as innocent as an angel that Ma kept at the altar. She looks up, struggling to keep the smile out of her face. Eight years old and still a smart ass, Angie thinks again and laughs, kissing the crown of Peggy’s head.

“Would ya look at that. Guess I’m your girl for today, English.” Angie chuckles. I’m your girl forever, she wants to say, but she’ll save that for when Peggy isn’t an eight-year-old that’s too smart for her age.

Howard rises to his feet, not looking pleased with his damaged ego. "Sly little sh--"

"Language, Howard."

He has the grace to look remorseful. "Sorry, Angie."

-

They wear their shoes and head to the garage, bound for the zoo instead since Anna and Jarvis were at the supermarket doing their weekly groceries.

Peggy sits beside Angie, her feet dangling 6 inches above their car floor. She looks happy and content and smug at her winning Angie’s hand and the way Howard crosses his arms, brooding.

“Hey, Howie, it’ll ruin your pretty face if you keep frownin’ like that.” Angie laughs, starting the car and driving out of the her and Peggy’s manor.

“Don’t be such a sore loser, Howard.” Peggy tells him as she snaps on her seatbelt. “I got to be Angie’s girl fair and square. You can be her boyfriend tomorrow.”

Little Howard ruffles his hair, snorts to himself. “Yeah yeah, Peggy Carter, gettin’ all the boys and girls since 1921. Leave some for the rest of us, will ya?” which he follows with a softly spoken, “you guys are cute together.”

Peggy squirms in the passenger’s seat, looking incredibly tiny, with a small paperbag she won’t let Angie see. “Thanks, Howard.”

“Yeah. We’re cute, aren’t we, English?” She laughs.

Angie doesn’t have to look away from the road to know Peggy’s blushing.

 

"We're here," Angie says, removing her seatbelt and helping Peggy do so. Once they're out of the car and in the zoo to buy tickets, she sternly reminds them: "we gotta stick together, am I making myself clear?"

Peggy and Howard nod, taking one of Angie's hands in theirs. "Yes, Angie!"

-

Turns out Peggy and Howard love the zoo so much, they forget about ice cream.

It’s not so different from taking her niece and nephew to the zoo, but Angie does enjoy seeing the childish glint in Peggy’s (even Howard's) eyes. The humidity of a summer day does nothing to dampen their moods as they ran from one habitat to another, playing tag.

Angie's eyes never leave the two munchkins, letting them have their fun and she thinks, _yeah, I could get used to having kids._

She takes them to the butterfly sanctuary, never missing how Peggy's and Howard's eyes light up when they enter the large dome with plants looming above and colorful butterflies fluttering about them.

Howard's running around, though the small tug of Peggy's hand tells Angie she's there, head tilted to the high ceiling.

"Mmm?" Angie says when she realize it's Peggy calling for her attention.

Little Peggy's biting her lip, never meeting Angie's eyes. "Are you okay with being my belle?"

Angie's heart squeezes at that. Peggy at a young age must have been so chivalrous. Crouching to be eye-level with her, Angie grins and nods. "More than anythin' in the world, Peg."

Peggy visibly lights up at that, opening her paperbag and hands Angie beautiful asters in a small jar. "I fancy you a lot, Angie," she mutters quietly, "You deserve so much more than a silly bet."

The sadness in Peggy's features does bad things to Angie's heart. It reminds her of the first time Peggy told her about what she truly felt--nervous and somewhat sad. Like little Peggy right here.

She smooths the stray hair back to Peggy's hairline and kisses her sun-warm forehead. "I'll always be your girl, Peg. Nothing's ever gonna change that."

Short arms are wrapping around her neck to take Angie into an embrace, and it feels almost the same. Peggy's warmth. Peggy's hair in her face. Even Peggy's shampoo and perfume stayed. She was just smaller, pint sized. Angie could keep her in her pocket.

They stay like that for a few moments, though when Peggy pulls back there's a blue butterfly resting on her nose. Angie snorts, much to Peggy's confusion. When the little girl catches on, her eyes cross to see the insect on her nose, which flutters away when Peggy crinkles her nose.

"Too cute for my life," Angie mumbles through a smile, as she stands. "We better go get the ice cream you wanted. Let's get Howard."  
  
"Ice cream and you, I love this day," Peggy grins, taking Angie's hand. She looks around. "Where's Howard?"  
  
Angie does the same. "Howard?" She calls out.  
  
No response.  
  
Panic settles deep in Angie's chest. She yells his name again. Still nothing.  
  
Her Ma's gonna kill her for two things, being a bad mother and swearing the name of Jesus countless times today.

-

 _"The last place you saw Mr. Stark was in the butterfly sanctuary?"_ Jarvis' pre-pubescent voice crackled from the telephone speaker.  
  
Angie let out a nervous exhale. "Yeah."  
  
 _"And Miss Carter has no idea of his whereabouts?"_  
  
Peggy distractedly chews on her nails, watching out for her friend. "No, I've asked her already."

 _"Is it far from the exit to Main Street, I believe?"_  
  
She cranes her neck to check. "Not so far, Mr. Fancy. But yes, Main Street. Why?"  
  
Before Jarvis can answer, zoo security approaches Angie and Peggy. "Ma'am, is the boy you're looking for wearing a white shirt and black shorts?" She nods in affirmation. "A few employees have seen him wander to the exits and managed to sneak under security's noses. He must be out in the street."  
  
"Okay, thank you for your help, Officer."  
  
"Not a problem, Ma'am."  
  
"He's out of the zoo, they saw him," Angie informs Jarvis, pinching the bridge of her nose. Tears prickled her eyes but she refuses to let it fall.   
  
_"Ah. I may know where Mr. Stark is."_

-

She didn't notice she has been gripping the steering wheel so very hard until Peggy points it out. "You're going to break that,"   
  
Angie lets out a sigh she's been holding in her lungs. The tension bleeds from her instantly. "Sorry you gotta see me like this, Pegs."  
  
Sorry you gotta see me worked up. Sorry you gotta see me be a horrible mother. Sorry you gotta see me blame myself if something ever happens to Howard.  
  
Peggy's small hand reaches across the gear to touch Angie's hand in reassurance. "We'll find him, I know it."  
  
She says it with so much conviction, so much confidence that Angie hears twenty-eight year old Peggy and believes her.

-

Jarvis is right.

Angie and Peggy find him in front of the Captain America memorial down in Main Street, sitting cross-legged and crying into his hands.

A few things about their older selves remain, Jarvis had told Angie earlier today.

And before Angie knows it, Peggy’s shaking with silent sobs too, pulling away from Angie’s hand to join Howard and embrace him.

Angie follows, watching closely and trying to ignore the prickle of her eyes too. They may have forgotten Steve (momentarily), but Peggy and Howard never forgot how much they love him. It makes Angie think how wonderful it was to have met Steve, not as someone who has owned Peggy’s heart for a long time, but as Steve, the artist. The guy with the heart of gold. It would’ve been nice.

She’s not jealous of him--no, not at all. Angie’s past that. If anything, she understood loving someone and losing them and the hole they leave in your chest will never be healed. Peggy loves her, she knows. Peggy loves Steve, too, and this--this she knows and understand and loves Peggy more for it.

She sits beside them, ignoring the fact that it’ll get her skirt dirty, and listen as Peggy and Howard sob, the city’s noises a background noise.

Angie waits, like she always had.

So when the cries have subsided to sniffles, Howard speaks. “Angie, I’m so sorry,” he rambles, with a red nose and puffy eyes that Angie thinks is adorable on him, “I just--I wanted to look for the bathroom and you--and I heard music playing--and I saw this and I--don’t even know--”

Angie reaches out to smooth the hair sticking to his forehead and smiles. “Howard, it’s fine,” she assures him. “It’s okay, buddy. Let it all out. I know you guys miss Steve a ton.”

“Who’s Steve? Is he Captain America?” Peggy asks, rubs the back of her hand on her nose.

“He was,” Angie wipes at Peggy’s damp cheeks. She takes them under her arms and they lean toward her body instantly. “Friends of mine knew him personally. He’s a good guy, that one. From what I’m told, he gave his life to save everyone.”

Silence blankets over them, nothing but the whirr of the city behind them and the occasional sniffles.

“I’m so sorry, Angie,” Howard apologizes once more, “I didn’t know why I went here but when I did, there was this--this--”

“I told you already, it’s fine. You’re here with me and Pegs, that’s all that matters.” Angie says, nudging him playfully. After a moment, Howard’s stomach rumbles. The three of them burst into laughter. “How about we go get those ice creams you wanted?”

They both nod and when they stand, Howard and Peggy throw their arms around Angie’s waist in a tight embrace. “Thanks for finding me, Angie,” Howard’s voice is muffled by Angie’s clothes.

“It’s not a problem, kiddo. Just ask permission before going somewhere, okay?”

Howard nods, “Okay. I just didn’t want to interrupt you guys when she was giving you those,” he points to the jar of asters inside Peggy’s paperbag.

Peggy, for the nth time today, flushes a deep red induced by Angie.

“Let’s go,” mumbles Peggy, taking Angie by the hand and away from Howard, obviously flustered.

Howard winks at them, giving such a Howard-esque thumbs up then they’re on their way to the nearest ice cream shop.

-

Ice cream always cheered Peggy and Angie up after a long day at work. It’s not surprising that all of them are in a good mood by when they’re finished, the sun has started to set and by the time they reach Peggy and Angie’s manor, it’s nighttime.

Peggy and Howard have no complaints when they have leftover pasta for dinner since Angie had no time to stop by the market and buy more. The two gobbled it down all the same, with as much vigor as they had during lunch.

The couches in their living room are all occupied when Angie stands to give the Jarvises a call. Howard’s tinkering with a few toy cars Angie’s nephews left in their home, and Peggy’s reading books with a furrowed brow.

The phone rings on the other end three times before Jarvis answers promptly. _“Jarvis residence, Edwin speaking.”_

“Mr Fancy! Just called to say we’re all good here, Howard’s been found exactly where you said he would be.” Angie tells him.

“ _That’s splendid, Miss Martinelli. I’ll make sure to forward the good news to my wife. You did very well today, Angie.”_

“Except for the part I nearly lost Howard? Yeah, thanks, Mr. Fancy,” Angie twists the phone cord around her finger.

_“Well, neither of us are faultless. Being a parent--or in this case, guardian--of a child is hard work, Miss Martinelli. I’m certain you will be an excellent parent, alongside Miss Carter though we both know she’s dedicated to her work.”_

Angie smiles a little at that. Maybe he’s right. Being a parent would be hard, but at least she’ll have Peggy and their kids in the future. “Thanks, Edwin. I'll keep that in mind.”

_“Anytime, Miss Martinelli. I wish all of you a good night. Only a few more hours until everything will be back to normal.”_

-

_“To sit among all those unknown things before a puzzle like that is hopeless. That way lies monomania. Face this world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all…”_

Peggy sits across her lap in the largest chair by the unlit fireplace. “Angie?” Her voice is quiet, barely filling the living room. Howard sleeps soundly on the couch.

“Mmm?” Angie looks up from H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.

“Why did me and Howard cry in front of Captain America’s statue?”

That takes Angie by surprise--though she gathers her thoughts and sets down the book on their center table all the same without moving Peggy from where she’s perched. “When you grow up, you’re going to love someone very, very important. You’re going to love him a lot, but somehow, it didn’t happen.”

Peggy doesn’t look confused; instead, she looks curious and sad. “Is it because he’s going to leave me?”

Angie chuckles lightly. “No, baby. He wouldn’t leave you if he were given a chance.”

“Is it because he dies?”

She nods and smiles sadly. Peggy only says a softly-spoken, “oh.”

They’re quiet for a few moments, the smaller girl’s arms tighten around Angie’s body. Peggy watches her with her brows knit together, brown eyes still kind yet intense. “I still don’t understand, but I love you, Angie.”

“You don’t have to understand now,” she tells Peggy, tucking a few stray curls behind her ear. “And I know you do. You can love two people at the same time, you know? It took a long time for the two of us to figure that out but because you’re a smart kid, you did so. I love you, too, Pegs.” She presses a lingering kiss to Peggy’s hairline. “We should probably tuck poor Howard to bed.”

Peggy nods. “Can I sleep beside you?”

“Of course you can."

Peggy slides off her lap before Angie stands to carry a heavy Howard Stark, who wraps his legs around Angie’s torso and his arms around Angie’s neck sleepily. Somehow, Angie manages to get him to the nearest guest room without bumping into anything in the hallway with a hand in Peggy’s own.

Angie sets him down gently and blankets the duvet around him. She watches his sleeping face, and smiles. _I wish Howard could stay like this li’l guy right here_ , Angie thinks, then presses a kiss to his forehead before leaving his room _._

Little Peggy looks so tiny in a sleeping shirt her usual twenty-eight-year old self uses.

She tucks Peggy into bed, the young girl looks up at her dotingly. “What?” Angie raises a brow, and if she’s blushing a bit under Peggy’s watchful gaze, she can always deny it later.

“Do you ever want to have children of your own?” Peggy asks, head tilted to the side.

Angie nods. She does, oh how she does. “Yeah. I might not be a good mom, though.”

It’s Peggy’s turn to raise a brow. “You’re not going to be a good mum,” she states a matter-of-factly. “You’re going to be a great mum.”

Angie honest-to-God giggles. “You’re too sweet to me, English, but thank you. What about you?”

“I don’t know,” Peggy shrugs. “I don’t think I’ll ever want kids, but if I do, it’s with you.”

She grins, takes this moment and slides it in her heart to keep forever. “Maybe when you’re older we can talk about it again.” Her heart is too big for her chest, so all Angie can do is press a kiss to Peggy’s nose, which wrinkles. Peggy giggles and squirms under the duvet, and oh, how Angie loved Peggy Carter so much. “Good night, English.”

“Where are you from?”

“Brooklyn. Why?”

“Goodnight, _Brooklyn_.”

-

“Hi, Anna! Hi, Jarvis!” Howard waves at them with excitement. He runs to tackle Angie and attach himself to her waist. “Thanks for today and yesterday, Peg and Ange!”

“Don’t mention it, kiddo. Glad to have you here,” Angie ruffles his hair, Howard laughs boyishly. “Alright, get goin’. I’m going to see your sorry butt soon.”

“Okay. Bye, Pegs,” Howard takes Peggy into a crushing hug, which Peggy returns after a moment of shock.

“Bye, Howard--being away from me doesn’t mean you get to be a wanker.” Peggy squeezes out, though she’s laughing.

They leave, Anna bidding her and Peggy farewell, shooting Angie a kind smile that reminds her of her favorite aunts and warm summers with her cousins. Angie collapses on the longest couch, Peggy does the same and opens the book they read last night.

Fatigue settles deep within her bones when she closes her eyes, and when she does, Angie sleeps through the next four hours that when she wakes, soft kisses are placed all over her face like summer rain.

“Mmm,” she murmurs, half asleep. Angie cracks an eye open to reveal a twenty-eight-year-old Peggy Carter hovering above her face, devoid of any make up and her hair limp. Angie opens both eyes fully to see that she wears nothing but a towel.

“Afternoon, darling,” Peggy presses more kisses to her face and even half conscious, her heart swells from the affection. “You didn’t mention you had children here yesterday. I’m told they looked exactly like Howard and I.”

Angie laughs and pulls Peggy against her, instantaneously loving the way her gal fits into every crease of her body. “They were cuter though, I’m tellin’ you, Peg. Wish you’d met them, though. Greatest pair of kids I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

“I’m sure they were. I wish they didn’t give you a difficult time or a headache.”

“The boy did, oh, I was about to have an aneurysm. The girl, however, was an angel. Got me those flowers over there,” she points at the jar with the asters with her lips. “She asked me to be her girlfriend too. What a total cutie.”

“It sounds as if I have competition,” Peggy playfully scowls at her. “But if it makes you feel better, I remember giving you those asters. And the Monopoly game.”

Angie’s brows raise to her hairline in surprise. “You do?” Peggy nods. “What else do you remember?”

Peggy taps her chin, still a few inches away from Angie’s face. “Pasta. Dancing. Monopoly. Zoo. Butterfly dome. You always being my girl.” she lists, then continues in a softer tone. “Steve’s memorial. Ice cream. H.G. Wells. You telling me about loving two people at the same time. You tucking me into bed and responding to my question. I remember all of it, Angie.”

All Angie manages to say is a mere, “oh.”

“And what I said about my wanting a family with you--none of them are lies. You’ll be an excellent mother, love. The way you held me and the way you took care of Howard and I--I just knew you’d be an amazing mother. The way you explained Steve to me… that’s what told me that yes, I’d want to have a family with you. I love you, Angie, and I’d have that with you if or when you’re ready.”

Angie’s dumbfounded by Peggy’s confession. It’s so beautiful, so passionate, so warm just like Peggy. So she says, “Soon.”

“Soon?”

She nods. “Soon. After my latest project with Fred. Then we can think of ways to adopt a kid of our own.”

Her girlfriend gapes at her. “That soon? Are you sure?”

Giggling, Angie holds Peggy’s face in her hands. “Are you complaining, English?”

She shakes her head and kisses Angie full in the mouth. She tastes like toothpaste and candy. “No, no complaints here.”

“Good.”

They trade lazy kisses that say ‘I miss you, I love you, I’ll love you forever’ for a few minutes before Peggy pulls away. “Oh, before I forget about those beautiful asters. Those were Jarvis’ award winning asters. I’m ninety percent certain he’s going to murder me.”

“Oh, no, English,” Angie faux-gasps. “What have you done?”

Peggy bites her lower lip in contemplation. “You know what, I don’t really care. I’ll give Howard two hours before he calls us.”

Angie nods seriously. “Right. To explain all this, right?”

“That is correct. And until then,” the woman on top of her, wearing nothing but a towel and the skin of her body, “why not make use of our time, yes? All the hours of being a small girl has made me miss you twice as much.”

“I like how you think, English.” Then they’re kissing and smiling into the kiss and everything is perfect--just as how it should be.

Howard can explain what the contraption did to them. Daniel can handle SHIELD for today. Jarvis can wait to bugger them about the prize-winning asters.

Peggy’s kissing her and kissing her and touching her stomach like she’s the most fragile yet beautiful thing on earth.

Nothing else matters, really, other than a twenty-eight-year-old Peggy Carter, the woman she wants to start a family with, in her arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! All mistakes are mine. I'm tired so I'm editing this tomorrow so please bear with me :(( Also, I'm darksabers on tumblr yehehe


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